The Melanoma
Research Foundation (MRF) is dedicated to funding mucosal melanoma research,
educating recently diagnosed patients, providing support services to patients
and caregivers and advocating on behalf of the mucosal melanoma community.

Recently, the
mucosal community raised over $15,000 to produce an educational video for
mucosal patients, caregivers and the broader medical community. We are grateful
for the generosity of the mucosal melanoma community and couldn’t have provided
this resource without their support. If you wish to support the MRF’s mucosal
melanoma program, please consider making a tax-deductible donation.

Mucosal
melanoma is a rare and aggressive form of melanoma—making up only about 1% of
melanoma cases.

As with other
areas of the skin, melanocytes, the pigment producing cells of the body, are
also present in the mucosal surfaces of the body, lining the sinuses, nasal
passages, oral cavity, vagina, anus and other areas. Just like melanocytes in
other parts of the body, these can transform into cancerous cells, resulting in
mucosal melanoma.

Approximately
50% of mucosal melanomas begin in the head and neck region, 25% begin in the
ano-rectal region and 20% begin in the female genital tract. The remaining 5%
include the esophagus, gallbladder, bowel, conjunctiva and urethra.

Mucosal
melanoma is not considered to be related to or affected by UV exposure.

There are no
obvious identified risk factors, not even family history.

Lacking an
identifiable culprit and given its rare occurrence, most cases of mucosal
melanoma are aggressive and quite advanced once identified, often resulting in
poor patient outcomes.